Blindness – Answering the Non Believing Jews
Firstly, here’s a common “attempt of a Jewish rebuttal of Christianity”:
The New Testament does contradict the Tanakh(ot). 1- The Most High stated that Messiah would be a direct descendant from David and Solomon, in the tribe of Judah, through the sperm of his human biological father (Num 1:18, 2 Sam 7:12-16, 1 Chro 17:11-14, 2 Chro 13:5), the New Testament doesn’t teach that.
J-s is not a direct descendant of David and Solomon, in the tribe of Judah, through the sperm of his human biological father, he had a virgin birth Matthew and Luke state.
2- The Most High commanded us to never worship anyone else but Him alone and to always keep Torah (Deu 13:1-4, Deu 29:29, & many more), the New Testament doesn’t teach that.
Christians worship J-s and not the Most High alone.
3- The Most High said the high priesthood would always belong to Aaron and his lineage, a salt covenant (Exo 40:13-15, Exo 29:9, Num 18:19), the New Testament doesn’t teach that.
the New Testament says J-s is high priest replacing Aaron’s lineage
4- The Most High said He would not profane the covenant nor alter what has gone out of His lips (Psa 89:34), the New Testament doesn’t teach that.
5- The Most High commanded that Torah is not to be added to nor diminished from (Deu 12:32), the New Testament doesn’t teach that.
The New Testament teaches Torah has been changed to include belief that J-s’ death gains forgiveness, salvation and everlasting life. They also believe pretending to drink his blood and eat his flesh gains everlasting life and you have to go through J-s to get to the Most High. All these things are a radical departure from Torah that the Most High says cannot be changed Deu 12:32 and that He will not change Psa 89:35. The New Testament makes preposterous claims.
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Reply:
At first reading, their claims seem reasonable. But with closer analysis, these “false claims vanish” as will the Old Covenant too, “eventually” (Hebrews 8:13).
Let’s begin. Please consider:
Firstly, all these facts cannot be understood with Old Testament Scripture only.
Some things were hidden from them and made known only in New Testament writings (Colossians 1:26).
1) Messiah and biological father with the word sperm is “not” written in any of those verse quoted.
Joseph as not a biological father sufficed. That’s why Christ asked that if the Messiah was David’s son, why does David call Him Lord? (expounding that there is “no” biological son-ship meant, Matthew 22:45)
2) God became Flesh (Lord Jesus Christ is God, 1 Timothy 3:16, John 1:1 with John 1:14). Only temporally on earth, He made Himself “lesser” than the Father (John 14:28, Philippians 2:7) but was God before that (John 1:1, Philippians 2:6) and Returns in the Future as the “Almighty” (Philippians 2:9 – 11, John 20:28, Revelation 1:8).
The Torah only lasts as long as it is to be “Fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17).
After the fulfilment of the Torah by Christ, some parts have ceased & need not be practiced anymore being “useless” (Hebrews 7:18) —> for example the “aronic priesthood & Its rituals” (Hebrews 7:12).
Some parts of the Torah may still be kept by the Jews as these are being fulfilled by Christ progressively —> but when “His Perfection has come” all these things will be done away (Torah & other Commands too), 1 Corinthians 13:10 —> that’s when the entire Old Covenant will “vanish” (Hebrews 8:13) with a “New” Covenant as well.
3) The word “owlam” is “age-during” to that “age” the Old Covenant (not forever).
His Aaronic priesthood of the past or the Old Covenant itself was described using these words (e.g. Numbers 25:13) and to the “generations within that previous age only” (Exodus 40:15).
To ascribe that meaning as forever has been a great error in both Judaism & Christianity.
With the author of Hebrew’s usage (for example), we see that its literal meaning of “age-during” is “correct”.
As an illustration, the same author of Hebrews mentions that “change” or “ending of that owlam-not-forever priesthood” (Hebrews 7:11, 18, 23) bring replaced by Christ in the order of Melchizedek to the “age-not-forever” too (Hebrews 7:24).
Christ does not need to be Priest forever simply because a Priest intercedes for His people (Hebrews 7:25) during this New Covenant age-time-period (Hebrews 7:21 – 22) Where the need is.
At the end of this age, He Returns & the works will be Judged & all His People are Saved (“no” need for any intercessions for them who have “been saved & perfected”). We, the believers become “priests” in His Reign to do heavenly functions which will be revealed more during the time to those appointed for it (Revelation 1:6, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 20:6 together with the believing Jews too, 1 Peter 2:9).
This New Priesthood was in comparison of the earlier Covenant in two different “ages” in contrast as well (Hebrews 7:26 – 28).
4) He said that He Will not change His Covenant (Psalm 89:34) to the “age” (owlam-not-forever, e.g. Exodus 40:15) and also promised a New Covenant in the “next age” (implied as Covenants are to the “age” Till Its purposes are Fulfilled, Hebrews 8:8, Jeremiah 31:31).
5) The New Testament goes beyond The ‘revelation’ of the Torah & Prophets which was ‘until John’ (Matthew 11:13) and there are ‘things’ which were “not” revealed in the Old Covenant Writings too (Ephesians 3:4 – 5).
It shows how Christ will Fulfill all of it (Matthew 5:17, Hebrews 10:7, Psalm 40:7) Where some has been fulfilled (e.g. Hebrews 7) & others into the Future too (e.g. Book of Revelation).
A Mystery of Time
God will prove Himself in “His Time”.
As for “now”, it is for “us” to prove who “we are”.